photo by: Contributed

Peter Shenouda has filed for the Lawrence City Commission race.

A ninth person has filed to run for a seat on the Lawrence City Commission, and he hopes to focus on budget and housing issues.

The candidate, Peter Victor Shenouda, told the Journal-World that he works as a manager for DirecTV and is a property owner and landlord in the city.

Shenouda said he was born in Egypt but went to school in the United States and ended up in Lawrence. He decided to run because he loves Lawrence and wants to see it on the best path forward, he said. Three key issues he wants to focus on are the city budget, addressing homelessness in the community and developing more affordable housing.

Shenouda is seeking one of two at-large seats on the five-member commission.

The other candidates for City Commission are Paul Buskirk, Eric Hyde, Alex Kerr, Steve Jacob, Ruby Mae Johnson and Bob Schumm, plus current City Commissioner Bart Littlejohn, who is seeking reelection. Commissioner Lisa Larsen, who holds the other seat with a term that is expiring, has not yet announced whether she plans to run. The deadline to file is June 2.

A Lawrence-Douglas County planning commissioner, Gary Rexroad, filed to run for a city seat but withdrew from the race Thursday because of a health issue.

A primary for the City Commission race will take place on Aug. 5, after which the top four vote winners will move on to the general election on Nov. 4.